“What you will not do is be some kind of sex talk personality.” The belt scored across her ass. She jumped, gasping as he struck her other ass cheek.
“I am not the kind of man to live my life on display, Ivy. Icarewhat people think of me. Maybe I shouldn’t, but I do. At some point, I might want to do something with my qualifications. I cannot have my girlfriend talk about how to give a guy good head.”
“Gabe!” She shrieked as his belt snapped across the underside of her ass, harder than before. So hard, tears sprang to her eyes. The slap of the leather felt like flames against her skin. He sent the belt to her ass again. Ivy pushed up from the counter. He pushed her down.
“Hate you,” Ivy said.
The leather stripe landed again, and then Gabe paused, squeezing her ass, digging in his fingers until her head came off the counter, and she pushed at his hand. Her ass blazed. She hated the tears running down her cheeks, and she had enough.
“I said to be silent. Get back to where I put you.”
“Make me.” She glared at him. A thrill raced through her veins at the words. His slow, sultry smile and how his eyes zeroed sent her nerves buzzing with anticipation.
His strong arm came across her back, pinning her in place, his fingers digging into her fleshy sore ass.
She squealed and kicked at him. His leg wound around hers, pinning her down. His muscled chest against her ass and back was damn delicious. She knew she was soaked between her legs.
“There. Better?” He pushed his arm into her, his breath hot in her ear.
“Fine,” Ivy gritted out.
He removed his arm across her shoulders, placing his hand on her ass.
“I find it disrespectful that you took this job without thinking about it. Without talking tomeabout it. I want you, Ivy, and I want to rebuild what we had. I want to make it better. But I need you to be on the same page about this.” He rubbed her ass in slow circles. Ivy closed her eyes, feeling the tears roll down her cheeks.
“Tomorrow is going to be a fresh start for us. I made a contract. You can look it over tomorrow and add anything you want or take away things. But after the punishment at Club Bandit, you need to decide if you want this, want us, and want us as something more than play partners.” Gabe pulled her up from the counter, hugging her.
Her arms remained at her side. She sniffled.
“Come here, Princess.” His gravelly voice made her heart thump.
She wrapped her arms around him, and he kissed the top of her head.
“I want you to be happy. But I want us to be happy too, and I know I can’t be happy with that job. I also realize that you want more than what I’ve given you before.” Her heart leapt with hope. Gabe had listened to her. He had zeroed in on her needs. Ivy lifted her head from his chest, feeling woozy and flushed.
“Thank you.” She softly kissed his lips.
He took her hand, walked her to their bedroom and helped her undress. Ivy laid back against the pillows, her head reeling.
She didn’t know Gabe would feel this strongly about the job with Julien, and what did he mean that he wanted to do something with his qualifications?
“Here.” Gabe sat down with a glass of water and two aspirin. He reached over and turned out the light and kissed her cheek. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
As he turned and walked out of the room, Ivy sighed into her pillows, feeling scrambled. She wanted him to talk more. She wanted to explain.
No, she realized, she wanted to justify. But a bigger part of her liked this calm and relaxed dominant that took her in hand, giving her thoughts peace.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - GABE
“Where did you go last night?” Gabe handed her a mug of coffee.
Ivy pulled a throw blanket around her, her feet stretched out on their patio table. Summer was taking its time in arriving. Their view this morning was a cloudy grey landscape.
“I met Emery and Natasha. I had a couple of drinks, maybe one past my limit.”
Gabe ran his hand over his beard. “I didn’t like that you stormed out on me. I don’t like that I told you to go.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to say.” Ivy bit her lip.
